Hair-retaining comb



Sept. 1, 1959 J. HALBER HAIR-RETAINING COMB Filed June 10, 1958 INVENTOR. JERRY f /ALBER.

ATTORNE X United States Patent HAIR-RETAINING COMB Jerry Halber, Long Island City, N.Y., assignor to William A. Lewis, Flushing, and Jerry Halber, Long Island City, N.Y., jointly Application June 10, 1958, Serial No. 741,033

4 Claims. (Cl. 132-433) This invention relates to hair dressing apparatus and, more particularly, to a device for holding and retaining a lock of hair.

Of the many types of hair styles, the pony tail has been quite popular not only for the ease in which it may be cared for, but also for the comfort that it affords in keeping the hair away from the neck in hot weather. Ordinarily, however, soon after the pony tail is formed, there is a tendency for it to droop so that the hair does come into contact with the back of the neck, thus detracting from the comfort to the individual. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for holding and retaining a pony tail hair style in proper position and arrangement upon the head of the wearer so as to overcome the aforementioned difficulties.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination comb assembly that can be used for initially combing the hair, forming the pony tail, and retaining the pony tail in proper spaced relationship with the back of the neck of the wearer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination comb assembly for holding and retaining a pony tail in proper position upon the head of the wearer, in which certain parts thereof tend to retain the hair close to the scalp of the wearer as well as retaining the pony tail lock in rearwardly spaced relationship thereto.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a device for holding and retaining hair of the type described that can be efficiently and economically manufactured in large quantities at relatively low cost, and which is attractive in appearance so as to enhance the beauty of the hair style.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a rear elevational view of a device made in accordance with the present invention in operative use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the device shown in Fig. l, in a normally closed position.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device shown in Fig 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the device in an adjusted open position prior to use.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view, with parts broken away, of certain parts of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of certain parts of a modified form of construction.

Fig. 7 is a rear elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing a still further modified form of construction.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 5 thereof, a device 10 made in accordance with one form of the present invention for holding and retaining a lock of hair is shown to include a main comb 12 having a back of slightly arcuate configuration and depending teeth 13. This main comb 12 is adapted to 2,902,042 Patented Sept. 1, 1959 #be placed in supported engagement with hair adjacent to the scalp on the-back of the head of the wearer so as to simultaneously retain such hair in tightly formed relationship and to support the main comb therein.

As is more clearly shown in Figs. 3 to 5 of the drawing, the upper edge of the main comb 12 is provided with an upwardly extending projection 15 that has a ball coupling member 16 integrally formed on each side thereof. These ball couplings or detents 16 are rotatably received within indents or recesses 17 on the inner facing sides of a pair of arms 18 of a rigid spanner or spacer member 20. The engagement of the ball detents 16 with the indents 17 provides a pivotal connection between the projection 15 and the rigid spacer member 20 which is, at its opposite end, provided with a pair of more closely spaced together rigid arms 26 which have similar recesses or indents 25 in the inner faces thereof.

A mounting plate 22 provided with a pair of ball detents 23 is pivotally supported upon the arms 26 of the spacer member 20 through the engagement of the ball members with the indents 25. A pin or screw 28 having an enlarged head 29 at the outer end is rigidly secured to the mounting plate 22 and rotatably supports one end of a pair of segmental circular comb elements 31. Each of these comb elements 31 is provided with a plurality of widely spaced apart teeth 32 which are adapted to grasp the pony tail lock of hair when in the closed position, so as to support the pony tail in the manner shown in Fig. l. The opposite free ends of the comb elements 31 are provided with hook portions 34 that releasably interlock with each other to secure the comb elements in the normally closed position illustrated in Fig. 2. However, by exerting a slight twisting and separating action upon these hook members 34, they can be released so as to enable the closed comb elements 31 to be rotated to the open position 31a illustrated in Fig. 4, so as to be properly positioned for receiving the lock of hair therewithin.

Since the spacer member 20 is pivotally connected at opposite ends to both the main comb 12 and the mounting plate 22 for the segmental circular elements 31, the device can be readily applied to a head of substantially any shape so as to retain the pony tail in virtually any desired position. After positioning the large lock of hair at the rear of the head by using the main comb 12, the main comb is inserted into the closely drawn together hair at the rear of the head while the pony tail is held in the hand. By then closing the opened segmental circular comb elements 31a around the lock of hair, and securing them in the closed position 31 illustrated in Fig. 2, the device will properly maintain the pony tail in a comfortable position at all times.

With reference now to Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawing, a slightly modified form of construction 40 is shown wherein the spacer member 42 is integrally connected at one end to the main comb 43, while being provided with a pair of spaced apart ears 45 for supporting a pivot pin 46 at the opposite end. A mounting plate 47 is rotatably supported upon the pivot pin 46 at one end and is provided with a perpendicularly outwardly extending rivet 49 at the opposite end for pivotally supporting the segmental comb elements 48. In this embodiment, the spacer member 42 is rigid with the main comb 43, rather than being pivotally connected thereto as in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5. This arrangement somewhat limits the position of the pony tail on the head of the wearer so as to require adjustment of the position thereof and to further simplify the manufacture of the device.

In Fig. 8 of the drawing, a still further modified form of construction 50 is shown wherein the spacer member 52 is similarly rigidly connected to the main comb 53. The opposite end of the spacer member 52 is provided with spaced apart ears *54 that support a pivot pin 3 55 upon which one end "ofa mounting plate 56 is pivotallysupported. The opposite end of the mounting plate '56 is provided with an upset plastic stud 58 upon which the segmental circular combs 57 are pivotally mounted. The' use-of the upset plastic stud "58 in place of the metal rivet 49 illustratedin 'Figs. "6 and 7 of the drawing, further simplifies the manufacturing procedure since such can be substantially automatically accomplished during the final assemblystages and enables the device to be entirely manufactured from the identical plastic material, a slit 59 being provided in the comb elements 48 to increase elasticity for ease of assembly.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as'imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A device for holding and retaining hair comprising, in combination, a main comb for supported engagement with hair adjacent to the scalp of the back of the head, an auxiliary comb assembly for supporting engagement with a lock of hair intermediate the length thereof, and spacer means extending transversely between said main comb and said auxiliary comb assembly supporting said auxiliary comb assembly in laterally spaced apart relationship with said main comb, said auxiliary comb assembly comprising a pair of individual comb elements pivotally connected together and supported at one end upon said spacer means for parallel relative movement between a normally closed position and an adjusted open position, both of said individual comb elements having facing reentrant portions for gripping a lock of 'hair therebetween in said normally closed position, releasable latch means at the opposite end of said individual comb elements releasably securing said elements in said normally closed position, said spacer means comprising a member supported at one end upon said main comb, and pivot means at the opposite end of said member supporting said pivotally connected one end of said individual comb elements for limited rotation about an axis substantially normal to the pivotal axis of "rotation of said individual comb elements, said auxiliary comb :assembly further comprising a mounting plate intermediate said individual comb elements and said spacer member pivotally connected atone end to said spacer member and having a bearing member at the opposite end rotatably supporting said one end of said comb elements.

2. A device for holding and retaining hair as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bearing member comprises a metallic n'vet.

3. A device for holding and retaining hair as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bearing member comprises an upsetplastic stud.

4. A device for holding and retaining hair as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bearing comprises a stud having an enlarged head on its free end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 62,606 Cassidey Mar. 5, 1867 161,661 Brown Apr. 6, 1875 910,290 Klingele Jan. .19, 1909 FOREIGN PATENTS 83,167 Germany Nov. 15, 1894 

